Culturally Responsive Pedagogy and Practices Grant
581-018-0500
Definitions
The following definitions apply to OAR 581-018-0500 to 581-018-0515:
(1) “Achievement gap” means the research-based gap in opportunity that often exists between
students who are economically disadvantaged, students learning English as a second language
and students who are African American, Hispanic or Native American and their White peers.
(2) “Culturally responsive” means the implicit use of the cultural knowledge, prior experiences,
frames of reference, and performance styles of diverse students to make learning more
appropriate and effective for them.
(3) “Culturally Responsive Pedagogy and Practices Grant” means the Grant established in OAR
581-018-0205 to implement ORS 342.950(3)(f).
(4) “Culturally Relevant” means pedagogy and practices that propose the following: students
must experience academic success, students must develop and/or maintain cultural competence,
and students must develop a critical consciousness through which they challenge the status quo
of the current social order.
(5) “Culturally and/or linguistically diverse” means: students who identify as racial and/or
ethnically diverse (Hispanic, African American, Native American, Alaskan Native, Pacific
Islander) or whose native language is not English.
(6) “Culturally competent” means the ability to successfully teach students who come from a
culture or cultures other than our own. It entails developing certain personal and interpersonal
awareness and sensitivities, understanding certain bodies of cultural knowledge, and mastering a
set of skills that, taken together, underlie effective cross-cultural teaching and culturally
responsive teaching.
(7) “Systemic Equity” means: the transformed ways in which systems and individuals habitually
operate to ensure that every learner- in whatever learning environment that learner is found- has
the greatest opportunity to learn enhanced by the resources and supports necessary to achieve
competence, excellence, independence, responsibility, and self-sufficiency for school and for
life.
(8) “Opportunity gap” means: the ways in which race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, English
proficiency, community wealth, familial situations, or other factors contribute to or perpetuate
lower educational aspirations, achievement, and attainment for certain groups of students.
(9) “Pre-service teacher” means an individual who is enrolled in a post-secondary teacher
preparation program at the undergraduate or graduate level working to obtain an initial teaching
license.
Stat. Auth.: ORS 342.950
Stat. Implemented: ORS 342.950
581-018-0503
Establishment
(1) There is established the Culturally Responsive Pedagogy and Practices Grant to support
school districts and post-secondary educator preparation programs who are working to close
achievement gaps for culturally and/or linguistically diverse learners through culturally
responsive pedagogy and practices. The grants may be used to fund research based best practices
which:
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(a) Provide a critical opportunity for schools and institutions of higher education to address the
social and academic needs of diverse students ; and
(b) Connect in-school experiences with out-of-school living, promote educational equity and
excellence, and create a strong community among individuals from diverse cultural, social, and
ethnic backgrounds while developing students’ sense of agency, efficacy, and empowerment.
(2) Subject to available funds, the grants will be awarded for the biennium based on a detailed
description of proposed programming or services. This can include but is not limited to:
(a) Planning phase.
(b) Implementation phase.
(3) The purpose of the grant program is to provide funds to school districts and post-secondary
educator preparation programs that are focused on collaboration around culturally responsive
professional development and pre-service teacher preparation Outcomes of this work should be
evident through teacher interactions with culturally and/or linguistically diverse learners and
increased academic achievement for these students. This can include the following:
(a) Developing culturally responsive pedagogy and practice specific to closing the opportunity
gap for Hispanic (Latino/a), African American, Asian American, Alaskan Native, American
Native, and all other student populations of color;
(b) Connecting with students of color with special emphasis on the implementation of the
Oregon Multicultural Education Act;
(c) Best practice in Education Equity;
(d) Strengthening ties between home, school, tribes, and larger communities;
(e) Post-secondary course work and field experiences concentrated on preparing pre-service
teachers to demonstrate pedagogy and practices of a culturally responsive educator.
Stat. Auth.: ORS 342.950
Stat. Implemented: ORS 342.950
581-018-0506
Eligibility
(1) To be eligible to receive the Culturally Responsive Pedagogy and Practices Grant an
applicant must be a:
(a) School district;
(b) Public charter school;
(c) Consortium of school districts, public charter schools, non-profits organizations and/or postsecondary institutions; or
(d) Consortiums may have the district, public charter school, non-profit organization or postsecondary institution serve as a lead agency for the grant.
(e) Post-secondary teacher preparation programs. Each post-secondary institution must have at
least one school districts or public charter school as a partner.
(f) Non-profit organization. Each non-profit organization must have at least one school district,
public charter and/or post-secondary institution as a partner.
(2) In addition to the entities listed in subsection (1) of this section consortiums may also have
additional partner entities.
Stat. Auth.: ORS 342.950
Stat. Implemented: ORS 342.950
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581-018-0509
Criteria
(1) The Oregon Department of Education shall establish a request for proposal solicitation and
approval process to be conducted for the Culturally Responsive Pedagogy and Practices Grant
funds. All proposals must comply with the requirements of section 1, chapter 661, Oregon Laws
2013 (Enrolled House Bill 3233) and rules adopted to implement that section.
(2) Grants shall be awarded based on the following criteria:
(a) Whether the grant application identifies how the funds will be used to reach the 40-40-20
goal and improve education outcomes for students of color and English learners as identified by
the Oregon Education Investment Board Equity Lens document.
(b) Whether the grant applicant demonstrates commitment and readiness to use best practice
around culturally responsive pedagogy and practice to close opportunity gaps for culturally
and/or linguistically diverse learners.
(3) The Department shall give priority to proposals that meet the minimum criteria and:
(a) Provide a sustainability plan to continue the program for at least two years after the grant
funding has ended.
(b) The extent to which the applicant clearly documents its capacity to design and implement
preparation and/or professional development that focuses on culturally responsive pedagogy and
practices that:
(A) Increase academic achievement, retention, and graduation rates for students of color;
(B) Increase student engagement and participation;
(C) Increase of the presence of culturally competent teachers and teaching;
(D) Strengthen the bond and communication between home, school, tribe, and the larger
community;
(E) Effectively utilize the local community as an extension of the classroom learning
environment;
(F) Use any exemplary multicultural curricula or strategies identified by the Department of
Education pursuant to the Oregon Multicultural Act under ORS 336.113, as a guide for
curriculum and development; and
(G) Implement professional development that is culturally responsive and extends throughout the
entire school year;
(H) Revise course offerings and field experiences for pre-service teachers that explicitly prepares
educators to implement culturally responsive teaching and practices.
(4) The Department of Education shall allocate funds for the grant program based on the
evaluation of the grant application and the following considerations:
(a) Geographic location of applicants to insure geographic diversity within the recipients of grant
program funds throughout the state;
(b) Applicants who demonstrate evidence of prior design/planning of a robust culturally
responsive learning environment as a way to close achievement gaps for culturally and/or
linguistically diverse learners;
(c) Applicants who have a high level of culturally and/or linguistically diverse learners, and
those who experience economic disparities.
Stat. Auth.: ORS 342.950
Stat. Implemented: ORS 342.950
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581-018-0512
Funding
(1) Each grantee may apply for between $50,000-$200,00 in funding which shall be awarded
during the following phases based on a detailed budget narrative and budget template:
(a) Planning phase;
(b) Implementation Phase.
(2) Grantees shall use funds received for the planning and implementation phrases of the grant
for activities outlined in the request for proposal.
(3) Grantees must be able to expend the funds for allowable purposes specified in the request for
proposal within the grant timeline according to acceptable accounting procedures.
Stat. Auth.: ORS 342.950
Stat. Implemented: ORS 342.950
581-018-0515
Reporting
The Oregon Department of Education shall provide to grant recipients a template for an interim
and final grant report. Grantees are required to submit a final report prior to receiving their final
request for funds.
Stat. Auth.: ORS 342.950
Stat. Implemented: ORS 342.950
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